Fire-escape



(-No Model.)

F. R. WOODWARD.

FIRE ESCAPE.

No. 287,492. Patented Oct. 30, 1883.

'f Mww WITNESSBS INVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

FRANK R. WOODWARD, OF HILL, NEV HAMPSHIRE.

FI RE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION-'forming part of Letters Patent No. 287,492, dated October :30, 1883.

I Application filed February 2, l883. (No model) fo all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. WooDwAED,

-of Hill, in the county of Merrimack and State a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert'ains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this speciiication, and in which- Figure l is a front elevation, partly in perspective, of my improved fire-escape attached to a house and in working order. Fig. 2 is a side View of the suspending-brackets when pending inside the window-sill; and Fig. 3 is asimilar view of the same when resting upon the sill, ready for use.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has relation to friction fireescapes; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of an escape adapted to hang suspended inside the windowsill when not in use, and to be thrown over the same when used, placing the rope and the rollers upon which the rope is wound out from the wall, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates a roller flanged at both ends, and having a flange, B, around its middle, adapting it to receive two ropes or cords, C and D, wound upon the two parts of the roller in opposite directions. This roller is `journaled in the ends'of two brackets, E, consisting of two outer long arms, F, connected by a rule-joint to the inner shorter arms, G, which are hinged upon two projections, H, fastened under the windowsill.

It will be seen that by this construction of the brackets the roller may hang, when not in use, inside the window-sill against the wall, and may, when it is to be used, be thrown over the sill, the inner arms of the brackets reaching up to the surface of the sill, and the outer arms partly resting upon the sill and extend- A loop, K, is passed around the inner portions of the hinged clamp, and a strap or belt, L, is fastened to the loop, adapted to be buckled around the person and support him` The lighter cord, D, passes through. two perforations, M, in the loop, and between the hinged arms J, sliding in two grooves in their inner y surfaces near the hinge, and by clasping the outer ends of the hinged arms rmer or light er, pressing them more or less together, the speed of the descent may be governed, the lighter cord being wound uponthe roller while the heavier cord is unwound, and vice versa.

It follows that for the successful operation of 7o the device the lighter cord must be twice the length of the heavier, so that when the person descending reaches the ground the end of the lighter cord will touch the ground, while at the start the same length of cord must be on the ground as the distance to be descended. It will also be seen that the escape may be used several times, as it may be raised by the lighter cord from the ground after one descent has been made.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- As an improvement in fire-escapes, the combination andarrangement of the roller A, the rule-jointed brackets E, cords or ropes C and D, clamp I, and belt L, having loop K, constructed to operate as and for the purpose shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANK R. WOODWARD. Witnesses:

WM. SEGHER, JAMEs F. REILY. 

